THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

...with MARSHALL CRENSHAW! Live at the Ritz, circa 1982 -- pretty much the era that influenced early Pate.  Your setlist includes "Whenever You're On My Mind," "There She Goes Again," "Someday, Someway," "Soldier of Love," "Shake, Rattle and Roll," "Mary Anne," and "Cynical Girl."

THE VIVIAN GIRLS did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter.

ANI DiFRANCO played the Mountain Stage; you can stream the gig on demand.

MARGOT & THE NUCLEAR SO & SOs dropped two new tracks on Spinner.

SAM AMIDON stopped by the World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

BURT BACHARACH & HAL DAVID survey their partnership in a lengthy Fresh Air piece prompted by the revival of the musical, Promises, Promises.

TOM LEHRER gets a feature plus audio and video via Fresh Air.

THE REPLACEMENTS "rescued a whole planet from '80s music," according to Nick Hornby.  Josh Neas of Aquarium Drunkard sat down with Courtney Smith for an Uncensored Discussion of the band and its legacy.

T. REX: "20th Century Boy." For the weekend.

THE NATIONAL: Matt Berninger and Aaron Dessner talk to the BBC about the leisurely recording of High Violet.

PAVEMENT: Bob Nastanovich talks to the Des Moines Register about the band's reunion -- and his work in the sport of horse racing. (Thx, LHB.)

JOSH RITTER, his grass-roots networking and his licensing agent are part of a story in the New York Times.

LINDA STEIN: Natavia Lowery, the convicted murderer of the former manager of the Ramones has been sentenced to "27 years to life" in prison.

CUTOUT BIN: From REM to Little Richard, from the Beatles to Wire, from the English Beat to the Standells, from the Ramones to the Stones, plus Grace Potter, David Bowie, George Harrison, Rockpile and more -- this weekend's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: Iron Man 2, the weekend's sole wide release, is currently scoring 68 percent on the ol' Tomatometer.  Babies opens on about 500 screens, scoring 67 percent.

IRON MAN 2 is a fun, flashy, action-packed kick-off to the summer movie season, though ultimately shallower copy of the original.  Its third act delivers more than the climax of the first flick; the problem rests in the first two acts.  In the original, the first two acts had action with emotion and meaning for the character, e.g., the sacrifice enabling Tony Stark's escape, or his first, redemptive battle against terrorists in a village.  This time, the screenplay is so busy being outrageous and snappy (and managing a lot of plot and characters) that Tony's physical and mental problems are not brought enough into focus.  Nevertheless, Robert Downey, Jr. chews the scenery with irresistible relish -- as does the always excellent Sam Rockwell as Stark's business rival, Justin Hammer. And Scarlett Johansson gets to unleash hell in a catsuit, so it's hard to complain.  As with the first installment, staying until the credits have finished is recommended.

KENDRA WILKINSON secretly tried to shop the graphic sex tape she is now trying to stop from being released. And she's making that fight part of her reality TV show.

LAWRENCE TAYLOR: The former Giants star was arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl at a Rockland County hotel, authorities said.

SANDRA BULLOCK is packing up and leaving L.A. to get away from her soon-to-be ex-husband Jesse James and their marital wreckage.  Meanwhile, Michelle McGee continued to hold Bullock partially responsible for McGee's tawdry affair with  James.

TOM-KAT UPDATE: Cruise played along while Holmes belted out the sassy showtune "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets" at a charity benefit. Video at the link.

JENNA JAMESON breaks down on video while describing the alleged abuse from Tito Ortiz that she supposedly recanted just a few days ago.

JUDE LAW and SIENNA MILLER were... wait for it... caught canoodling over a lusty lunch in NYC.

KRISTEN STEWART talks to Elle about relationships, privacy, and her critics...who will probably find more material in the article.

TERROR in NYC: Accused Times Square Bomber Faisal Shahzad linked up with the Pakistani Taliban through the internet and had a web of jihadist contacts that included big names tied to terror attacks in the US and abroad.

AFGHANISTAN: Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the most senior Afghan Taliban leader in custody in Pakistan, is providing important information to American officials on the inner workings of the Taliban, pivotal insights as the United States looks ahead to negotiations to end the war in Afghanistan.  NATO commanders scrapped a helicopter assault by hundreds of US and Afghan troops last week because the Afghans weren't able to take charge.  Top Taliban leaders could be offered exile outside Afghanistan if they agree to stop fighting the government of Hamid Karzai, a long-expected peace plan by the Afghan government will propose later this month.

THE 10 BEST CAT VIDEOS on YouTube. Most -- but not all -- of these will be familiar to regular Pate visitors.

GUARD LLAMA controversy in Colorado Springs.

THE BIRDS: Nearly a dozen pedestrians in downtown West Palm Beach claim to have been attacked by a "crazy bird" that swoops through the air.

AT LEAST TWO FLESH-EATING PIRANHA reportedly escaped from their aquarium during Nashville's recent flood.

A SEA LION PUP has been captured after hiding under a San Diego police car for four hours in the middle of a road.

MONKEY BUTLERS: Heroic troops maimed fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq are being given trained monkeys to help perform everyday tasks.

A LEOPARD and a GOLDEN RETRIEVER, reared together... Mass Hyteria!